


Doppleganger

by SatiricalDraperies



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: F/M, Horror, Psychological Horror, not a lot but it has those elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-18
Updated: 2019-10-18
Packaged: 2020-12-22 14:24:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21078272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SatiricalDraperies/pseuds/SatiricalDraperies
Summary: Something's not right.But then again, maybe he's just projecting on to her.





	Doppleganger

Dom’s pretty sure he’s not dreaming; Mal’s here, after all, and she’s recently become disenfranchised with seemingly all of dreamshare. 

Still: the curl of her hair, the bow of her lips, the creases next to her eyes. Something’s not right. Dom idly wonders if she’s been cheating on him. Or maybe she’s been having a fight with Miles. Yes, that’s it. She’s not rejecting him; she’s not rejecting dreamshare; she’s rejecting her father. Dom understands. It’s been years since he’s talked to his folks.

But then again, maybe he’s just projecting on to her.

Still: the bounce in her step, the glow of her cheeks, the way her eyes and breasts seem slightly larger than usual. Something’s not right. She might be pregnant. Dom hopes she’s pregnant again, because Philippa has become the reason he wakes up happy in the morning and goes to bed at night with a smile on his face. Yes, that’s it. Mal’s pregnant, and she’s acting different because she wants to surprise him with the news later. He’ll act surprised, of course. If it were him breaking the news, he’d want Mal to act surprised. He wonders what she’ll want to name the child. She must be so excited.

But then again, maybe he’s just projecting on to her.

Still: the sharpness of her bones, the shine of her skin, the knobbliness of her fingers. Something’s not right. Dom hopes she isn’t on one of those fad diets. Mal’s never had issues with her body image, but Dom’s heard all too many stories of women and men too, for that matter, who starved themselves under societal pressures. It can’t be malnutrition. Mal’s too aware of her health and the effects of media to buy into any of those health crazes. She’s probably just aging. Yes, that’s it. Dom’s noticed the way his own bones creak when he gets out of bed in the morning. He doesn’t like it, but it’s the natural way of life. It’s also the beginning of growing old with Mal, something he’s dreamed about since their wedding night. He smiles, imagining the smile of Mal’s face as she sings lullabies in French to their grandchildren. She looks so content.

But then again, maybe he’s just projecting on to her.

Still: the lovely quality of her voice as she says his name, the softening of her features as she looks upon his face, the caress of her arm as she wraps it around his doppleganger’s back. 

Something’s not right.

But then again, maybe she’s just projecting on to him.

**Author's Note:**

> happy halloween everyone! and make sure your dead wife isn't running away with your clone in a dream - it happens to the best of us


End file.
